I see it as a HUGE selling point for people new (and old) to PPCs. To have the funcitonality of a tiny PC in the palm of your hand AND the ability to use most existing USB devices like printers, keyboards, mice, etc., would seriously pump up sales.
One of the major flaws that I see in PPCs is that they aren't "stand alone" devices, still needing the aid of a PC to properly function on many occasions including the installation of 99.999% of software... a USB Host would help to bridge the PPCs gap to autonomy. Right now, PPCs/PDAs are marketed and setup to be "PC Companions". Most people that already have a PC don't want to shell out a crap load of money for a "PC Companion" that costs more than a entry level desktop!
But the allure of having a sentient Pocket PC that can function completely on it's own, run most usb devices (printers, keybaords, mice, drives) could and
would get folks that were going to buy a(nother) desktop or a laptop to purchase a PPC instead.
Personally, this is a major setback. And manufacturers wonder why many in the industry say that the PPC is dead/dying?!? They say it's a "niche market"... a "specalized piece of technology for the power user".
Well,
"When you over-specialize, you breed in weakness" -Ghost in the Shell
M$ and makers better correct their little "oversight" or death of the PPC will be quickly upon us surplanted by "Smart" Mobile Phones at a fraction of the price.
